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Ricky Zililo Senior Sports Reporter—
THE leading goal scorer in the top league, Kuda Musharu’s early season potency has earned him a national team call-up, replacing injured Simba Sithole. Zimbabwe takes on Tanzania in the first leg of the first round 2015 African Nations Cup in Dar-es-Salaam on Sunday. Musharu has scored six goals for How Mine in Castle Lager Premier Soccer League, more than half of the 11 goals that the team has from their opening seven matches. He was expected to join the Warriors camp last night.
National team coach Ian Gorowa had last week announced a 22-men squad, with four players set to be axed after Friday morning’s training session as the team will leave later in the day for Tanzania via Ethiopia.
In the initial squad that Gorowa announced through manager Sharif Mussa, there were no local strikers with the coach choosing to go with the quartet of Tendai Ndoro (Mpumalanga Black Aces), Kaizer Chiefs’ Kingstone Nkatha, Simba Sithole of Ajax cape Town and Cuthbert Malajila whose Mamelodi Sundowns won the Absa Premiership title.
Ndoro joined Mpumalanga Black Aces at the beginning of the year and has managed to score seven Premiership goals in his half season’s stay in South Africa.
Malajila contributed immensely to his club’s championship quest, coming in with some important goals for the star-studded Tswane outfit.
Sithole has seen little action in Cape Town due to injuries but the player’s work rate may be key to his call up. He pulled a thigh muscle yesterday, effectively ruling him out of the national team.
Nkhatha, a preferred forward at AmaKhosi where his club coach Stuart Baxter fancies the Zimbabwean striker ahead of Katlego Mpela, Matthew Rusike and George Lebese has also been ruled out for the Tanzania game due to injury.
The news that the two South Africa-based strikers are out of selection is a blessing in disguise for the former Underhill and Monomotapa gunman, Musharu.
“Our programme started off well today with almost everybody in camp save for Willard Katsande who is driving from South Africa and Nkhatha who we have been told at the last minute by his club that he is receiving treatment for a torn muscle. The only sad news is that of Simba Sithole who pulled a thigh muscle and the doctors are still monitoring him but the coach has decided to call up Kuda Musharu of How Mine,” said Mussa.
With Musharu joining Ndoro and Malajila in camp, it is highly likely that Gorowa might decide to travel with all the three forwards.
An excited Musharu is hoping for a fruitful outing in Tanzania.
“Obviously it’s exciting to get recognised for the hard work that I have been doing at my club. The technical staff, executive, fans and players at How Mine have been very encouraging and without them I wouldn’t have received this call-up. It is an honour to serve my country and to be part of this Afcon qualifier squad,” said Musharu.
Warriors Squad
Goalkeepers: Washington Arubi (Pretoria University, South Africa), George Chigova (Dynamos), Munyaradzi Diya (Highlanders)
Defenders: Hardlife Zvirekwi, Ronald Pfumbidzai (both Caps United), Partson Jaure, Sydney Linyama (both Dynamos), Milton Ncube (Highlanders), Eric Chipeta (Hwange)
Midfielders: Nqobizitha Masuku (Bantu Rovers), Danny Phiri (Chicken Inn), Stephen Alimenda (Dynamos), Marshal Mudewe (FC Platinum), Talent Chawapiwa (Harare City), Kudakwashe Mahachi, Peter Moyo (both Highlanders), Willard Katsande (Kaizer Chiefs, South Africa), Pasca Manhanga (Triangle)
Strikers: Kuda Musharu (How Mine), Cuthbert Malajila (Mamelodi Sundowns, South Africa), Tendai Ndoro (Mpumalanga Black Aces, South Africa)
Online Reporter